[Elspode]

Ever since 1990-91 (the two year period during which my mother died, I had a major abdominal surgery, lost my livelihood, my son suffered a closed head injury and permanent brain damage, I lost my home to foreclosure and my wife left me while our child was in the hospital for 10 months), my years have been sort of frighteningly well-balanced...lots of horrendous things on one hand with lots of incredibly cool things on the other.

For example, in 2001, I had heart bypass surgery at the age of 45, leaving me off work for two months, but when I was again able to work, I was asked to help start what has become a promising and prosperous new company (after quitting my shithole job of 11 years). This is the most radical good/bad differential, but to some extent most of the last decade has been comparable.

I'm not terribly superstitious per se, but if I was, the major event of New Year's Eve/Day this year would leave me largely waiting for the good thing to come along and balance it out.

Oh well...life is learning, right?